DJI Is Building 1,000 Custom Drones

DJI has had tremendous success in the past year or so. From launching powerful drones and super small, selfie focused unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to dabbling in camera gimbals, the Chinese manufacturer has managed to deliver well-received products in a variety of different markets. Now, they’re on track to deliver the largest commercial drone order in history and break records in the process. #actionmagic

Komatsu, a renowned Japanese construction equipment manufacturer, has put in an order of 1,000 custom DJI Matrice 100 drones. A basic Matrice 100 model costs slightly over $3,000 and with a GPS module, near $4,200 per unit. Additionally, Komatsu is looking to add Skycatch’s “High Precision Package” for precision aerial mapping, a package which costs $1,800 per month. With its steep price tag, DJI’s Komatsu order is a huge achievement for the Chinese original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

The DJI’s Komatsu order is potentially an opportunity to expand the company’s enterprise sales. After all, their product is a “white label” drone that can be customized to a client’s exact specifications. While this order would likely be used for industrial purposes, it could also be used for search and rescue missions or other surveying tasks.

As for its consumer products, the variety and constant stream of new drones have ensured 80% of its $2.7 billion in sales last year. The last drone to come out is the DJI Mavic Air, a 4K camera drone that is lighter than the DJI Mavic Pro and has a footprint about the size of a smartphone when folded.